Bucket-line for oil and water elevators.



S. W. MACK.

BUCKET LINE FOR OIL AND WATER ELEVATORS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1911.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

SfepfiezzZQfia UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN W. MACK, OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO MCDONALD OIL ANDWATER ELEVATOR 00., OF ABERDEEN, WASHINGTON, A CORPORATION OF WASH-INGTON.

BUCKET-LINE FOR OIL AND WATER ELEVATORS.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN WV. MACK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Glendale, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bucket-Linesfor Oil and 1V ater Elevators, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to the bucket-lines used in that class of oil andwater elevators in which a cable provided with buckets arranged to runaround a pulley and through pump tubing to elevate the oil or water. Inelevators of this kind where a wire cable is used, crystallization ofthe cable occurs on account of the short and sharp bends made in thecable at the ends of the buckets as the buckets go around the pulley.

An object of this invention is to provide means whereby crystallizationis avoided.

Another object is to effect the result above stated by cheap, simple andeffective means that may easily be applied to and removed from thecable.

Another object is to hold the buckets from slipping along the cableunder load or when catching on any obstruction; at the same timeavoiding rigid connections between the buckets and the cable.

The invention comprises the bucket line and the parts and combinationsof parts set forth in the subjoined detail description.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a view of a fragment of a cable with a bucket thereon and apair of bucket protectors arranged on the cable in operative position.The bucket and one of the protectors are shown in axial section on lineindicated at a2 :r Figs. 3 ande. Fig. 2 is a section transverse the axisof a foot pulley around which the cable is trained; a fragment of thecable bucket and two bucket protectors being shown in the position theyoccupy when the bucket is going around the pulley. Fig. 3 is across-section on line m c0 Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a sectional plan from linea:*o3*, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the protector cushionspread open preparatory to applying the same to the cable. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of the clamping band detached and also spread openpreparatory to application to the cushion. Fig. 7 is a perspectiveSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 25, 1911.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

Serial No. 651,288.

view of the fastening pin by which the cushion and band are fixed to thecable. F igs. 3, 9 and 10 represent three of the elements for formingthe bucket shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The cable 1 may be of any suitable material, usually steel wire in thecase of deep wells. The bucket 52 may be of any suitable material andconstruction and in the form shown in Flgs. 1, 4t, 8, 9 and 10 comprisesa main member having a head 3, a dovetailed seat 1 and anexternally-threaded nipple 5; two semi-cylindrical packing members 6each provided with reversely arranged dove-tailed seats 7 and a nutprovided with a head 8 and dovetailed seat 9; and adapted to be inclosedinside a cvlinder formed of the two members 6, an d to screw home on thenipple to clamp the dovetailed seats of said members 6 between the seatsof the nut and body.

7 The nipple of the bucket is internallv flared at the ends, so thatwhen mounted oh the cable it will allow a fleXure of the cable insideboth ends of the bucket. The bucket protector comprises a splitcushioning sleeve 10 adapted to fit the cable, and slit along one sideto receive the cable and provided with taper ends 11, the extremities ofwhich may enter the flaring ends of the bucket. These taper ends alsoallow the sleeve to pass around the pulley 39 without jar or injury byor to sharp corners. Said sleeve is also provided with diametricallyopposite orifices 12, 13 to receive the fastening pin. The sleeve 10 isheld on the cable by a split band 14, one of the ends of said bandbeing, as at 15, indented and the other band pointed as at 16 to fit theindenture, there being diametrically opposite holes 17, 18 in the bandto receive the fastening pin which has cylindrical tips 19 and aflattened middle 20, the cylindrical ends 19 being adapted to enter theorifices 12, 13, 17 and 18 of the sleeve and band. The sleeve 10 ispreferably of leather or some other durable flexible and compressiblematerial and the band is preferably of malleable steel, iron or othermetal that can be bent onto and tightly compressed upon the leathersleeve and that will retain its form thereon thus to hold the sleeve onthe cable. The sleeves 10 are applied to the cable on opposite sides ofeach bucket and are spaced apart to allow the bucket to work looselybetween them, so

that in going around the pulley p the bucke and both its protectors mayi t the same time contact with the pulley as the bucket passesunderneath as shown in Fig. 2, so that the greater strain upon the cableis supported by three points of support, via, the bucket and theprotectors. The protectors are of less diameter than the buckets so asto gently lead the buckets around the pulley.

l l hen the parts are applied to the cable as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and%lthe bucket 2 is free to slide from protector to protector and will becaught by one or the other of the tapering ends of the sleeves 10 as0cca sion may require. When the bucket and protect-or reach the footpulley p they are apt to be disposed somewhat as shown in Fig. 2, andtips of the flexible cushioning sleeves at opposite sides of the band Mbeing capable of bending with the cable; and the band and sleeve beingcapable of resisting the pre "are between the cable and pulley, theforward protector leads the bucket onto the pulley without jar.

in practical. use the band is most liable to damage from wear and whenthe band is worn it is readily removed by unbending it and then bendinga new band to take its place. The flat middle portion 20 of the pin fitbetween the cable strands without injuring the cable and the cylindricalends 19 project beyond the sides of the cable and prevent the pin fromslipping out of the cable and engage both the sleeve and the clai'npingband, so that they are oppositely held against slippage along the cable.Thus the buckets are supported and held against displacement and at thesame time are given such free movement on the cable as to accommodate itto a comparatively small pulley. By means of the indenture 1.5 and thepointed end 16 of the band the band when in clamping position is heldtrue on the sleeve. The oritice 18 is made at the tip of andcommunicates with the indentnre 15, in tl e end of the band, so that theband may be applied by putting it onto the sleeve and then drawing theorifice 17 onto one of the projecting ends 19 of the fastening pin, andthen bending the band home with the orifice 18 around the other end ofthe pin. The joint formed by the indenture l5 and tip 16 of the bandwill preferably be on the side weas l-7 of the cable opposite thesplitof the sleeve,

so that the joints of sleeve and band are thus broken.

I claim 1. The combination with an oil or water elevator cable, of abucket free to slip along the cable and bucket protectors on oppositesides of the bucket, and spaced apart therefrom for the purpose ofleading the bucketonto and from a pulley substantially as set forth.

The combination with an oil and water elevator cable of a pin insertedthrough the cable, a cushioning sleeve provided with orifices to it theends of the pin and a. clamping band to bend onto the sleeve andprovided with orifices to engage the ends of the pin.

3. A bucket protector for an oil and water elevator cable comprising aflexible compressible sleeve adapted to fit the cable, means to fastenthe sleeve to the cable and a split malleable band bent onto the sleeve.

4. The co-n'ibination with an oil and water elevator cable, of a splitsleeve to fit the cable, a split band bent onto the sleeve and means forfastening the sleeve and band to the cable.

The coml'iination with an oil and water elevator cable, of a splitsleeve to [it the cable, a split band bent onto the sleeve and a pin forfastening the sleeve and band to the cable; said band being providedwith an indented end and a pointed end to lit together and with orificesto receive the ends of the pin.

(3. The. combination with an oil and water elevator cable, of a splitsleeve to fit the cable, a split band bent onto the sleeve and a pinhaving a flattened middle portion and projecting ends for fastening thesleeve and band to the cable; said band being provided with an indentedend and a pointed end to fit together and with orifices to receive theends of the pin.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto setmy hand at Los Angeles,California, this 20th day of September, 1911.

James R. TOWNSEND, L. BELLE RICE.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

